we are dealing with a united states that is tired of war. it has not gone well in the two big wars it conducted in the middle east. it spent trillions of dollars, a lot of mud and -- blood and treasure. it is very clear that the americans are more interested in nationbuilding at home. these are important context to bear in mind. hopefully the iranian regime will change. hopefully, the administration will take diplomacy very seriously. or that sanctions really change the koran and governments mind and they change course -- the iranian government's mind and they change course. it is quite likely and possible that iran may go nuclear before any of these things take effect. before sanctions, as rigorous as they are, produce a result, or before there is a democracy movement. then, we are really left with two choices. we either find a way to contain and share a nuclear iran, or we go to war with it. if we go to war, then we have to be prepared for what that war would entail. it may very well be far more costly and far more destabilizing to the reg